|
MUMBAI:
The closure of the one-month trading window for the DLF Indian
Premier League (IPL) saw a total of seven players being traded.
In
addition to the trades, four temporary replacements from the
inaugural season were resigned by their respective franchises
and three of cricket’s young players are now set to make
their debut in the second season of the DLF IPL.
In
all, 17 players were subject to enquiries from more than one
franchisee. Finally, seven players were traded. The star trade
being Zaheer Khan (of the Bangalore Royal Challengers) who
was traded for Robin Uthappa (of the Mumbai Indians). Both
of them will now turn out for their respective home cities.
The
other trades include Ashish Nehra of the Mumbai Indians going
for the very successful Shikhar Dhawan of the Delhi Daredevils.
In a three-way-trade, Jaydev Shah of the Rajasthan Royals
will move to the Mumbai Indians, Gaurav Dhiman of the Mumbai
Indians will turn out for the Bangalore Royal Challengers,
and Pankaj Singh (again of the Rajasthan Royals) will don
the red for the Bangalore Royal Challengers in season II.
In all, there were 82 enquiries made for 54 players, with 36 enquiries coming
in for the Indian players and 18 for the overseas cricketers that electrified
the inaugural season.
In
addition to all the trading activity, the eight franchises
in the DLF Indian Premier League have also been adding to
their roster of overseas players in their squad during the
current trading window. With the number of overseas players
in the squad permitted to be 10 in the forthcoming DLF IPL
season, the franchises have signed up up-and-coming young
players.
The
Delhi Daredevils has picked up
uncapped Australian cricketers David Warner and Andrew McDonald.
The Deccan Chargers have also picked up Aussie Ryan Harris.
MacDonald
featured in Australia’s test match victory at the SCG
against South Africa at the start of this month, while Warner
made a sensational Twenty20 international debut against South
Africa at the MCG.
Delhi
Daredevils COO Amrit Mathur said, “We are really delighted to have signed
David. His debut game for Australia the other day has been sensational and we
are hoping he will carry forward this brilliance into season 2 of the DLF IPL.”
Warner
said, “I am thrilled to be joining the Delhi Daredevils,
and I can’t wait to play in the IPL. My international
debut has given me a taste of what it is like to score runs
in front of a big crowd, and I am looking forward to more
of the same in India. Playing alongside, top players from
all over the world like Virender Sehwag, Glen McGrath and
Daniel Vettori is going to be an amazing experience.”
As
the franchises put the finishing touches to their squads,
the Kolkata Knight Riders have signed two of their 'replacement'
players from 2008 onto longer term contracts. The are the
new Sri Lankan spin sensation - Ajantha Mendis and Australian
- Brad Hodge. The Mumbai Indians also signed on Dwayne Bravo,
while the Chennai Super Kings inked a long term contract with
Chamara Kapugedera.
DLF
IPL chairman and commissioner Lalit Modi says, “I know
that all the franchises are putting in a lot of work to ensure
that their playing squads are even better than last season.
The second player’s auction at Goa on 6 February will
be an opportunity to sign some experienced internationals
to complete their playing squads."
Adding
further, Modi tates, "Following the Goa auction, I believe
that we will have most of the world’s top cricketers
registered to play in the DLF IPL. But, I am particularly
pleased to see franchises investing in the gen-next of world
cricket with the addition of many top young players. One of
the most exciting aspects of last season was seeing some of
the young players really develop and enhance their reputations
– players like Yusuf Pathan, Shaun Marsh and Shikhar
Dhawan."
Also
Read ECB
permits players to play in IPL for three weeks | 
